Awa-Williams takes control in choosing return to Hawaii

» Jazzmin Awa-Williams
» Senior forward
» Hawaii Pacific women's basketball

It's all about control.

Both staying in control and controlling what you can.

Jazzmin Awa-Williams was reminded of that last week when she and the rest of her Hawaii Pacific women's basketball teammates took to the road for their first conference games on the mainland. The Sea Warriors (13-4, 7-1) went 2-1 when playing three contests in five days in California, seeing their 12-game winning streak and perfect PacWest record snapped Saturday at Dominican 70-65.

"You can't control the weather. You can't control the refs," said Awa-Williams, who was limited to 19 minutes of playing time in the loss because of fouls. "We can control how we play as a team because that's the attitude that got us those wins.

"It was a tough loss, but the only thing you can do is learn from it and move on."

Awa-Williams is used to winning. The all-state selection led Konawaena to two state championships and two runner-up finishes while playing for her aunt Bobbie Awa.

When Jeff Harada was hired for the HPU job, Awa-Williams was one of the first players he wanted to recruit. But she had already signed with Colorado-Colorado Springs.

"I told her that if she ever got homesick ..." Harada said.

Awa-Williams did miss Hawaii. Although she was having personal success at UCCS -- 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds -- "the team wasn't doing very well," she said. "I knew that Coach (Harada) had been building a winning program, and I wanted to be part of it."

The broadcast journalism major rejoined her former Konawaena teammate Mana Hopkins-Vandenakker last season and helped the Sea Warriors to their first PacWest title and NCAA tournament appearance.

"Our goal is getting to the postseason again," Awa-Williams said. "I'm trying to take it game by game. It's about fire and drive, not being complacent. Putting all the pieces together, and staying out of foul trouble."

"We're still in it (for the PacWest title)," Harada said. "We have eight games left. It's all about how we respond from the loss. We'll see what we're made of."

NOTES

Hogue hosts media day

PacWest commissioner Bob Hogue hosts media day for baseball and softball on the Internet tomorrow at pacificwestsports.tv.

Each 1-hour program includes the announcement of the all-conference team and coaches preseason poll. Softball begins at 10 a.m. and baseball at 11 a.m.

Hawaii Pacific is the NCAA Division II national softball champion. The Sea Warriors will receive their championship rings tomorrow during the break between the HPU/BYU-Hawaii women's and men's basketball games at Blaisdell Arena.

3 ranked in regional poll

The PacWest has three teams ranked in both men's and women's basketball for the first time in conference history.

In the NCAA Division II West Region poll for men's basketball, Chaminade is ranked fifth, with BYU-Hawaii eighth and Dixie State 10th.

In women's basketball, Dixie State is ranked No. 2, Grand Canyon sixth and Hawaii Pacific 10th. Both Dixie State (No. 11) and Grand Canyon (No. 12) are ranked nationally in the USA Today ESPN Coaches Top 25.

HPU debuts radio show

HPU Sports Beat with Brent Curry, Hawaii Pacific's newly named sports information director, debuts at 2 p.m. today on ESPN 1500.

The featured guest is Sea Warriors athletic director/men's basketball coach Darren Vorderbruegge will be in studio.

Curry replaces John Barry, who is now with the University of Hawaii's media relations department.